Full flow packer cementing shoe



Feb. 23, 1960 o. N. OLIVER 2,925,365

FULL FLOW PACKER CEMENTING SHOE Filed Nov. 13, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet lOWEN N. OLIVER.

F164. FIG E l M ATTORNEY.

Feb. 23, 1960 o. N. OLIVER 2,925,865

' FULL FLOW PACKER CEMENTING SHOE. Filed Nov. 13, 1956 1 2 Sheets-Sheet2 FIG-.4,

INVEN ibR. OWEN N. OLIVER,

ORNEY.

FIG.

FIG-.5

United States Pate FULL FLOW PACKER CEMENTING srron Owen Norman Oliver,Duncan,*kla., assignor to Halliburton Oil Well Cemen'ting Company,Duncan, Okla.

Application November 13, 1956, Serial No. 621,671 2 Claims. (CL166-9154) This invention relates to an apparatus employed in thecementing of casing in the bore hole of a well.

In cementing casing in well bores, various methods and apparatus areemployed. Ordinarily, the cement slurry is introduced into the annulusbetween the outer wall of the casing and the walls of the bore hole bypumping it from the surface down through the casing and out through thebottom, from which it flows up and around the casing. In otherinstances, as disclosed in the patent to Pitts, No. 2,435,016, grantedJanuary 27, 1948, the cement slurry is pumped out through a tool havingports, valve sleeves, and plugs incorporated in the casing some distanceoff bottom. In employing either of these methods, the plugs, sleeves,and excess cement must be drilled out, which involves considerable timeand expense, and in addition, the oil producing formation is subjectedto contamination by the slurry, since it is exposed to the slurry whilepump pressure is-applied to move the slurry.

The present invention relates to a novel construction of a tool whichembodies a packer, a body member having cementing ports, sleeves andplug receiving members disposed inside said body for the operation andthe control of a cementing operation, wherein there remain noobstructions to be drilled out. The tool is attached to the bottom of astring of casing and positioned in a bore hole just above at producingformation. By pumping a plug down through the casing onto a seat in thetool and applying a predetermined pressure the packer is set. Continuedapplication of pressure moves a sleeve and opens the ports in the tool.The ports are above the packer. A slurry of cement is pumped downthrough the casing and out through the ports into the annulus betweenthe casing and the bore hole but the producing formation is notsubjected to this slurry. Then another plug is pumped down the casingonto another seat which moves a sleeve upon the application of pressure,which sleeve closes the ports in the tool. Then continued application ofpressure pumps the seats, the plugs, and any excess cement into thebottom of the bore hole, thereby leaving a fully opened passageway forthe well fluids to be produced from the formation below the packer. Asfaras is known this tool is the only one which employs the uniquefeature of pumping out the obstructions, instead of the time consumingand costly process of drilling out same. i v

Therefore, it is an objeot of the invention to provide a full flowpacker cementing tool, employed to cement the casing above the producingzone, wherein the plugs and seats are pumped out in order to provide afully opening free flowing passagewayfor the production of the formationfluids. I

Another object is to eliminate the costly and timeconsuming process ofdrilling out the seats, plugs, and excess cement.

Another object is to eliminate the time less and cost involved incleaning out the well bore and perforating the producing zone after thecasing has been cemented in place.

Another object is to prevent water and other fluids in the well borebelow the packer from contaminating the cement in the annulus around thecasing.

Still another object is to prevent contamination of the oil producingformation of the well bore below the packer.

These objects and unique features of the invention are described indetail below to illustrate the general principles of the invention.Referring to the drawings:

Figure l is a sectional view of the tool as attached to the casing andplaced in the well bore at the desired location. i

Figure 2 is a sectional view of the tool showing the packer set and theposition of the various components at this stage.

Figure 3 is a sectional view of the tool showing the position of thecomponent parts during the cementing operation. n

Figure 4 is a sectional view of the tool showing the position of thecomponent parts after the cementing operation and positioned so that theplugs and seat members may be pumped out.

Figure 5 is a sectional view of the tool showing the conditions in thewell after the seats and plugs have been pumped out. I

Figure 6 is a view of a lock ring employed in the invention. a

Referring to Figure '1, of the drawing, it will be seen that a tool 1 isthere shownas attached to a casing 3 located in a bore hole 5 aboveaproducing formation 7. The tool designated-generally at 1 includes anumber of elements which coact to accomplish the objects of theinvention. It consists essentially of a collar 2 adapted to bescrew-threaded on the lower end of the casing 3, 21 depending tubular orcylindrical body 4 adapted to be screw-threaded to thec'ollar 2-, apacker 19 mounted on the cylindrical body 4, together with means forcontrolling the setting of the packer 19 and means for controlling theflow of fluid either through or around the tool. There is also aconventional guide means 9, adapted to be screwthreaded to the bottom ofthe cylindrical body 4.

The packer 19 encircles the cylindrical body 4 and consists of acylinder of a resilient compressible material. It

is provided with conventional shoes 16 and 16a. Engaging the uppershoe'16 and remaining in intimate contact therewith is anexternalsleeve18. The sleeve 18 is connected to the cylindrical body 4and maintained in the position shown in Figure 1 by a shear pin 17, andin the position shown in Figures2, 3, 4 and 5 by a slip 18a. The lowershoe 16a engages and remains inintimat'e contact with the guide means'9.

The cylindrical body 4 is provided with ports 25. These are adapted 'tobe covered by a lower internal sleeve 23. The sleeve 23 is closelyfitted inside the bore of the cylindrical body 4, and is maintained inthe position shown in Figure 1 by the shear pins 21 which extend throughthe ports 25 and constitute shearable means connecting the internalsleeve 23 to the external sleeve 13. Since the sleeve 18 is'attached tothe b-ody4 by the pins 17, the in ternal sleeve 23 is also attached tothe body 4 where the parts are in the position shown in Figure 1. Thereare three such pins 21, spaced degrees apart. As illustrated in thedrawing, the sleeve 23 is packed olf by suitable means, such as O-rings43. Positioned inside of the sleeve 23 is a slidable member 20 having'apassageway 15 and a seat 13. A shear pin 41 holds the sleeve and theslidable member 20 in intimate contact. A locking means, such as a lockring 35 with fingers 37, is provided to prevent pressure from beingexerted 'on the shear pin 41 prematurely The lock ring 35 encircles theslidable member 20 and the fingers 37 engage a shoulder provided in thesleeve 23. The seat 13 isradapted to receive and position an object toseal oil the passageway 15, such as a plug 11. Plug 11 may be of anyconventional design, such as a boat tailed plug, as illustrated, or asphere. The slidable member 20 is also packed ofi, as illustrated in thedrawings by suitable means, such as O-rings 43.

An upper sleeve 31 is closely fitted inside of the cylindrical body 4and maintained in the position shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3 by a shearpin 33. The sleeve 31 is packed off by suitable means, such as O-rings43 and is provided with a suitable pressure equalizing check valve 47.This valve 47 is illustrated as consisting of a groove fitted with anO-ring with a number of small holes drilled through the sleeve 31 intothe bottom of the groove. Fluid can thus flow outwardly but not inwardlythrough the valve 47. Positioned inside of the sleeve 31 is a slidablecylindrical member 28 having a passageway 30, a seat 29, and a dependingextension 28a having ports 28b therein. An arrangement of three shearpins 39, spaced l20 degrees apart, holds the sleeve 31 and the slidablemember 28 in intimate contact. The seat 29 is adapted to receive andposition an object to seal 011 the passageway 30, such as a conventionalcementing plug 27 of the type, for example, shown at page 3102, volume2, Composite Catalogue of Oil Field and Pipeline Equipment, 1955-56edition, as illustrated in Figure 4. The plug 27 may be of anyconventional design. The slidable member 28 is also packed oil? by anysuitable means, such as O-rings 43.

Thus it will be seen that the slidable members 20 and 28, together withthe parts which coact with them, constitute a fluid pressure responsivesystem releasably connected to the internal sleeves 23 and 31 for movingthese sleeves in the desired sequence to set the packer 19 and controlthe flow of fluid through the port 25. An illustration of the operationand coaction of the elements of the invention is as follows: The tool 1is attached to the bottom of the casing 3. It will be understood thatthe casing extends to the top of the well and that the entire assemblyis lowered into the bore hole 5 in a conventional manner. The tool 1 ispositioned in the bore hole 5 just above a producing formation 7. Asshown in Figure 2, the packer 19 is then set to firmly engage the wellbore wall 51 and thereby seals off the producing formation 7 below thepacker 19. Said packer 19 is set by pumping the plug 11 down through thecasing 3 onto the seat 13 f the slidable member 20. By any conventionalmeans at the surface, pressure is exerted on the fluid in the casing 3.Resulting fluid pressure is transmitted by the plug 11, to the seat '13of the slidable member 20. The downward thrust thus created istransmitted to the sleeve 23 by the fingers 37 of the lock ring 35.

The sleeve 23 is at this time coupled to the sleeve 18 by the shear pins21. The thrust thus transmitted to the sleeve 18 causes the pins 17 toshear. The amount of pressure required to shear the pin 17 is determinedby the shear strength of the said pin 17. The sleeve 18 then movesdownwardly whereby the resilient packer 19 is squeezed so that thepacker 19 expands and firmly engages the wall 51 of the well bore 5, asshown in Figure 2. The slip 18a holds the sleeve 18 in intimate contactwith the body 4, thereby maintaining the packer 19 in the expandedposition.

Increased pressure on the well fluid increases the downward thrust onthe member 20, and this causes the pins 21 to shear, whereby the sleeve23 and the slidable member 20 are moved downward until the sleeve 23rests on the guide means 9, whereby the ports 25 are uncovered. A slurryof cement 45 is then pumped through the casing 3 and out through theports 25 into the annulus between .the wall 51 of the well bore and theoutside of tool 1 and the casing 3. The cement slurry 45 is preventedfrom going down through the tool 1 into the well bore hole 5 below thetool by means of the packer 19 and the plug 11;

After the desired amount of the cement slurry 45 is displaced, the ports25 are closed in the following manner:

The plug 27 (see Figure 4) is pumped down the casing 3 onto the seat 29of the slidable member 28. Since the plug 27 is still in the casing 3when it initially seats, there is produced, in effect, two pistons ofdifierent diameter traveling together, the smaller diameter being thatof the plug 27 and the larger being that of the sleeve 31. Downwardmovement of theseelements results in a lowering of pressure between themdue to the differences in diameter and the sealing efiect surroundingboth pistons. The lowering of pressure must occur because the volumeoccopied by fluid between the two pistons is increasing the further downthe plug 27 moves before it leaves the casing 3. Although the apparatusis operative without relieving this partial vacuum, more efiicientoperation is achieved if the partial vacuum is relieved. The manner ofrelief will be explained below. Pressure is applied to the fluid in thecasing 3 until the pin 33 is sheared. This permits the slidable member28 and the sleeve 31 to move downwardly. The bottom portion 28a of theslidable member 28 engages and compresses the fingers 37 of the lockring 35, whereby the slidable member 20 is released from the sleeve 23.The presence of the ports 28b in the member 28a is to prevent anypressure build up during the downward movement of the members 28 and 31to insure that the lower extension 28a of member 28 will engage the seatof the member 20 immediately below the member 35 to insure that themember 35 will be contracted. Pressure then shears pin 41, thusreleasing the slidable member 20 from intimate contact with the sleeve23. The sleeve.31 moves downwardly until its shoulder comes to rest ontop of the sleeve, 23 (as shown in- Figure 4) whereby the ports 25 areclosed. The pressure equalizing check valve 47 prevents the creation ofa partial vacuum between the flanges of the plug 27 and the top of themember 28, and thereby eliminates the necessity of excessively highpressure to move the sleeve Y31 and the slidable member 28.

Application of additional pressure then shears the pins 39, whereby theslidable member 28 is released from the sleeve 31. Then the slidablemembers 20 and 28, and the plugs 11 and 27 are pumped downwardly intothe bottom of the bore hole 5. Any excess of the cement slurry 45remaining in the passageway 30 is also pumped out. The tool 1 iscemented into the well bore 51 and forms an unobstructed passageway withthe casing 3, without the necessity of drilling out as in previousmethods.

Although the invention has been described in terms of a specificembodiment, it should be understood that this was by way of illustrationonly and that the invention is not limited thereto. Alternateembodiments and techniques will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

For example, the tool may be modified for use any place in a string ofeasing by modifying the guide shoe 9 into a suitable collar.Accordingly, modifications of the invention are contemplated withoutdeparting from the spirit of the described invention or the scope of theappended claims. a

I claim:

1. Apparatus for cementing casing in a well comprising, in combination,a tubular body adapted to be made up with the casing, said body having aport in its wall for discharging cement slurry therethrough, expansiblepacker means mounted on the outside of said body beneath'said port, anexternal sleeve slidably mounted on the outside of said body above saidpacker for setting said packer. when downward force is applied thereto,shearable means connecting said external sleeve to said body to preventthe setting of said packer until a. predetermined amount of downwardforce is applied to said external sleeve, a lower internal sleevemounted for sliding movement inside said-tubular body and cooperatingwith the port to serve as a sleeve valve, a shear pin extending throughthe port and connecting said lower internal sleeve to said externalsleeve, said shear pin having greater strength than the shearable means,whereby downward force may be transmitted from said lower internalsleeve to said external sleeve, by said shear pin, to set said packer,as said lower internal sleeve is moved downwardly to uncover the port,an upper internal sleeve mounted for sliding movement inside saidtubular body and adapted to move downwardly and cooperate with saidlower internal sleeve to prevent the flow of slurry outwardly throughthe port, releasable means for temporarily holding said upper internalsleeve against downward movement, a member provided with a passagewayand a seat mounted in said lower internal sleeve, latching meanstemporarily connecting said member to said lower internal sleeve, adepending extension mounted on said upper internal sleeve adapted toengage and release said latching means when the upper internal sleeve ismoved downwardly to prevent outward flow of fluid through the port, saidupper internal sleeve having a seat therein larger than the seat in saidmember, whereby upon the passage of first a small actuating objectadapted to engage said seat and then a large actuating object adapted toengage said upper internal sleeve down through the casing, said sleevesmay be successively operated to set the packer and control the flow offluid through the port.

2. Apparatus for cementing casing in a well comprising, in combination:a tubular body adapted to be made up with the casing, said body having aport in its wall for discharging cement slurry therethrough; expansiblepacker means mounted on the outside of said body beneath said port; anexternal sleeve slidably mounted on the outside of said body above saidpacker for setting said packer when downward force is applied thereto;shearable means connecting said external sleeve to said body to preventthe setting of said packer until a predetermined amount of downwardforce is applied to said external sleeve; a lower internal sleevemounted for sliding movement inside said tubular body and cooperatingwith the port to serve as a sleeve valve; a shear pin extending throughthe port and connecting said lower internal sleeve to said externalsleeve, said shear pin having greater strength than the shearable means,whereby downward force may be transmitted from said lower internalsleeve to said external sleeve, by said shear pin, to set said packer,as said lower internal sleeve is moved downwardly to uncover the port; afirst upper internal sleeve mounted for sliding movement inside saidtubular body and adapted to move downwardly and cooperate with saidlower internal sleeve to prevent the flow of slurry outwardly throughthe port; a' second upper internal sleeve mounted for sliding movementwithin said first upper internal sleeve; releaseable means fortemporarily holding said upper internal sleeve against downward movementin said body; a member provided with a passageway and a seat slidablymounted in said lower internal sleeve; latching means temporarilyconnecting said member to said lower internal sleeve; an extensiondepending from said second upper intern-a1 sleeve adapted to engage andrelease said latching means to release the same when said upper internalsleeves are moved downwardly to prevent outward flow of fluid throughthe port, said second upper internal sleeve having a seat therein largerthan the seat in said member; second shearable means connecting saidupper internal sleeves and shearable only under higher pressure thansaid releasable means; whereby upon the passage of a first plug intosaid body to sealingly engage the seat on said member, and theapplication of fluid pressure thereabove, said lower internal sleeve andmember and lower external sleeve are moved downwardly to set the packer,next the lower internal sleeve continues downwardly to open the port, sothat cementing operations can be effected, a second plug larger than thefirst is engaged with the seat in said second upper internal sleeve andwhen pressure is again applied said upper internal sleeves are moveddownwardly to reelose the port and a final increase in pressure isefiective to carry said plugs, said second upper internal sleeve andsaid member completely out of said body and into the hole below thecasing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,860,669 Halliburton May 31, 1932 2,435,016 Pitts Jan. 27, 19482,488,819 Larkin Nov. 22, 1949 2,811,208 Eadie Oct. 29, 1957 2,813,589Woodrufi Nov. 19, 1957

